Trainer Mack Miller announced yesterday that the Kentucky Derby-winning colt will train for the Preakness at Belmont Park, instead of Pimlico Race Course.

The horse left Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., for the Elmont, N.Y., track yesterday.

"Maybe Sunday I'll breeze him a little bit [at Belmont] and put him in the van [next] Tuesday for Baltimore," Miller said. "Then, maybe he'll have a blowout [at Pimlico] on Thursday. But it's still conjecture at this point."

The rest of Miller's stable is headquartered at Belmont.

Miller, who has downsized his operation during the last year, told Pimlico/Laurel racing executive Lenny Hale that he has only one assistant trainer, instead of two, and doesn't have enough people to look after the horse at Pimlico.

Prairie Bayou and Wild Gale, the Derby runners-up, are also training at Belmont for the Preakness and will ship to Pimlico next week.

Personal Hope, the fourth-place Derby finisher, will stay at Churchill Downs for the remainder of this week and fly to Baltimore on Sunday along with Lil E. Tee, the 1992 Kentucky Derby winner, who is running in the Pimlico Special.

Union City a likely starter

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas told Pimlico officials he is "99 percent" certain that Union City, the 15th-place Derby finisher, will run in the Preakness.

"But I want to wait one more day before making it final," Lukas said.

Lukas reserved spaces in the Preakness barn for Union City and Bellewood, a filly who will run in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on Preakness eve.

Rockamundo a possibility

Rockamundo, the Arkansas Derby winner who finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby, underwent throat surgery at Churchill Downs to ease a condition that hampers the horse's breathing.

Kentucky Derby-Preakness winner Alysheba had undergone similar surgery in 1987.

Trainer Ben Glass said he plans to ship Rockamundo to Pimlico tomorrow and added that the colt could start in the Preakness if the surgery is a success.